Fastener forming and inserting machine



April 28, 1953 J. a. WRIGHT ET AL FASTENER FORMING AND INSERTING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Jan. 18, 1947 Jay/v a. WRIGHT 3 c/mm, as p. TONE) CHARLES A. WATKINS 2M U6N sum/v mum/v1 A. mnxwaz.

April 28, 1953 J. G. WRIGHT ETAL 2,636,168

FASTENER FORMING AND INSERTING MACHINE Original Filed Jan. 18, 1947 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed Jan. 18, 1947 Apnl 28, 1953 J. a. WRIGHT ETAL 2,636,163

FASTENER FORMING AND INSERTING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 JOHN G. W/F/GH? CHARLb'S p. TOIVEK 3mm: ca m/was A. WAT/0N8- an EUGE/VE .3004

'WILLIAM A. MAXW44 (Km-army;

Apr -ll 28, 1953 J. G. WRIGHT ET AL 2,636,158

FASTENER FORMING AND INSERTING MACHINE Original Filed Jan. 18, 1947 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 17 505 Eff. 15

5:2 &1 9-24 JOHN G. WRIGHT CHARL as p. ran 1 cum/n55 A. WATK/Ng mum 5 saws/vs suzm/v WILL/AM ,4. MAXWELL Gttomeg Apnl 28, 1953 J. G. WRIGHT ET AL 2,636,168

FASTENER FORMING AND INSERTING MACHINE Original Filed Jan. 18, 1947 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 wmnmmmuum mm "WM" a IMHME] 7 H G03 602 T I I i 606 617 1 1 1 Jail 6. WRIGHT 01mm 55 a. roller crmmcs A. wnrmm: INVENTORS 51/05/15 .suoA/v WILLIAM A. MAXWEU.

ATTORNEY April 28, 1953 J. G. WRIGHT ET AL FASTENER FORMING AND INSERTING MACHINE Original Filed Jan. 18, 1947 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 J'Ol/IY 6. WRIGHT INVENTORS C/IA R1. D. 7' 0N6 CHARL A. WAT/("VJ E U G 5 NE SI/DAN WILL 119M 0. MAXWELL ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 28, 1953 FASTENER FORMING AND INSERTING MACHINE John G. Wright, Charles D. Toney, Charles A. Watkins, and Eugene Sudan, Atlanta, and William A. Maxwell, Duluth, Ga., assignors to The Auto-Soler Company, a corporation of Georgia Original application January 18, 1947, Serial No.

772,806. Divided and this application December 13, 1950, Serial No. 207,887

4 Claims.

This invention relates to fastener forming and inserting machines, and more, especially to a nailing machine which is adapted particularly for woodworking operations, and by which fasteners are formed from a continuous length of wire or the like and inserted in material to be secured. This is a division of our copending application Serial No. 722,806, filed January 18, 1947, and issued as U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,571,984, on October 16, 1951.

In the copending application of Wright et a1., Ser. No. 595,776, filed May 25, 1945, and issued as U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,250,521, on August 29, 1950, a machine of the same general type adapted for soling shoes is disclosed. The present invention represents an improvement over the machine disclosed in the above application and incorporates modified and novel features adapting the present machine for heavy duty service in woodmaking operations as described more in detail below.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a fastener formil'lg and inserting machine constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a corresponding side elevation partly cut away and partly in section;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of the operating head and related elements;

Fig. 4 is a blown-apart assembly view illustrating the arrangement of the fastener forming knife assembly in the operatin head;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section showing the fastener forming knife assembly in assembled position;

Fig. 6 is a detail of the fastening means used in assembling the fastener forming knife assemy;

Fig. 7 is a detail oriented substantially on the line 7-1 in Fig. 2 showing the arrangement for wire feed adjustment to control the length of fasteners formed;

Fig. 8 is a corresponding detail in side elevation;

Fig. 9 is a detail of the pivot lug associated with the crossarm shown in Figs. 7 and 8; f Fig. 10 is a sectional detail of the adjusting stud shown in Figs. 7 and 8; n

Fig. 11 is a side view of the form of adjusting handle associated with the adjusting stud;

Fig. 12 is a corresponding plan view partly in section;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary detail in side elevation of the arrangement for adjusting the driving depth of thefastener inserting plunger;

line 2B-2il in Fig. 2 showing the arrangement for actuating the work support mechanism during fastener forming operations;

Fig. 21 is a corresponding detail in side elevation;

Fig. 22 is a fragmentary detail illustrating the manner in which the actuating elements shown in Fig. 20 are associated with the work support;

Fig. 23 is a sectional detail taken substantially on the line 23-23 of Fig. 22; and,

Fig. 24 is a sectional detail taken substantially on the line 24-44 of Fig. 22.

As mentioned above, the present invention is directed particularly to a nailing machine adapted for forming a plurality of fasteners from a continuous length of wire and inserting the fasteners formed in material to be secured. While certain features of the invention may be used in fastener inserting machines generally, and others are of general application otherwise, the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing for purposes of illustration as embodied in a machine of the above type.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, the nailing machine shown comprises generally a suitable frame structure I06 supporting an operating mechanism incorporating means for cyclic actuation of fastener forming and inserting operations in association with a fastener forming knife assembly indicated generally at 200, means for mounting a supply of wire on the machine shown at 300, means 400 for feeding wire from this supply for fastener forming operations, a fastener inserting plunger mechanism 500, and a work supporting mechanism 606.

The frame structure I00 is made up of a base portion llll adapted to support the machine on a floor or similar surface, a column portion I02 extending vertically from the base portion Illl, and an upper frame section 103 mounted at the member me. A driven clutch member I Ill is fixed on shaft I04 in opposed spaced relation to the driving clutch member I09, and-houses a spring pressed clutch pin III which is; normally held in disengaged position by a clutch bar II2 positioned in engagement with clutch pin .III by a spring (not shown) The above described clutch mechanism is operated from a suitable foot pedal I it mounted in the base portion Iii! of frame structure Iilil. The.

pedal H3 is pivoted in base portion mi, as at I Id, so that wheniit depresseda :connecting rod :I I 5 lS Shl fl16dwllO=DlVOTL8-:bell cranlei it and similarly shift a second connecting rod til. This. second connecting rod Ili 'i; is arranged inthecolurnn portion 12 of frame .structure lee to extend between bell crank ilii and a lever; bar M8 fulcrumedat-oneend inthe columnzporticn Hi2 and assembled with clutch bar H2 2.11316590131161' end.

This linkage .isn accord inglygsuch that depress-ion of pedal its causes connectingrod ill to shift downwardly in column portionitfi and pivot the-tulcrumedleverbarai I23 totrip clutch bar I it. and thus release clutch :pin It i to engage the driving clutch member 589 so that operating shaft Mi l is -rota ted with drive .gear .Wtiby :motor 165. U-pona completerevolution ofoperating shaft i-HG,- the crank pin I Iii iswithdrawn from driving clutch member M9 by clutch :bar M2 in the usual manner; unless the pedal I I3- remains depressed to initiate a succeeding cycle of operation; By this arr-angen-ient-controlled= operation of shaft member it'll is effected-tor the-cyclic actuation of fastener formingand fastenerinsertingoperations as described more in detail below;-

The construction of the fastener forming. knife assembly mitt-referred to above,=is illustrated in Figs. 3 to 6, inclusive, of-the drawing. Generally described, thisassembly comp-rises a stationary blade member 294 and a matched movable blade memberfiili adapted-for assembly with the stationary blade membertfi I for movement between fastener forming and fastener inserting positions;

The various elements of knife assembly- 206 are shown in Fig. -4 in exploded relationindicating their'operating association in assembled relation. The-stationary blade-memberZfl i is composed of a holder zfi-twanda blade insertQKI iL- Likewiseythe movable blade member EiiQ-includes a 'holderfiili andha blade insertliit. Holder. 2% :of the .stationary blademember is recessed as. at.2 ii'ito .receive theblade insert 204, and holder 2%.. of the movableblademember as shown at ztfltoreceive bladeinsertazlfi.

The knife assembly 289 is assemlz iled v for operation in relation to. an operating head 1209 .mounted.-.on the upper frame sectioniilt .(see Fig- 2). Theholder 2G3 of" thestationary blade member 28! is secured directly on operating. head tilt, tapped holes (one of which is shown in Fig. 4 at 2H!) being provided for this purpose to receive fasteningv screws (not shown). extended through openingsasi. at 2 I iin the operating. head 21%;?

Assemblyot-the movable bladeimember- 2912 with stationaryblade member 32133 for movement betweenfastener forming: and fasteneriinserting poi,

The drive gear Hi8, which sitions is effected by means of a stud member 2 I2. Aligned apertures in movable blade insert 2% and stationary blade insert 28. 3, .and at 2L5 in holder 283 of stationarybladerlmember ZFEL'and 2H5 in operating head 2M3, are provided to receive stud member 2I2 and define a pivot axis for movable blade member 2&2 with respect to stationary blade member 28% Stud member M2 is for-med with a head portion 2i? arranged to seat on movable blade insert 2% as shown, and is tted with a key 2I8 which-is pressed in place so that the stationary and movable. blade insert 26 and 296 are retained on stud member 2I2 for mounting and removal as a unit. Holder 2% of the movable blade member EbZ isformed with a further aperture 2 iii. to provide clearance for the head portion 21? of stud member N2 in assembled position. When knife assembly 26% is mounted, the key M8 on stud member 2L2 is positioned in operating head see (see. Fig; 5);, and stud ,mem-ber H2 .is secured in place bye fastening. mea; ns.220

which-.ispdescribed .more-inndetail below. The

holder. 2515. of crnova-ble cblade member .262 is ply,- otablmpositioned by the head portion-2 I? of stud member? 5.2,.and iszretainedwaeainst lateral move-'- ments'by a iace plate 221 mount d-0 p atin head Realises Figs. 1, 2..and;5)

This method :of. assembly provides .a secure mounting for stationary. blade member ilil-l on'op r eratinghead *2 es whileel-lowi-ng. free movement ofimovable blade member 2&2. on. stud member: '2 between fastener. forming-and fastener. in.-;. sorting. ositions. .This movement. of movable.

blade member 1252 is xactuatedathrougha eam arm portion 22?. of hcld'erzfiilfi rwhich .isxdisposed' for shifting between a fasteneriorming .position' head-299m The -cam-follower-assembly 225-, as

best shown in Fig.;i,*comprises 'anupper lever segment-22b and a lower lever segment 221 assembled on a pivot" pin 228'which is carried in a bushed opening 229 in operatinghead 209. The upper and lower lever segments 22.6. and 221* are dowelefd improper assembled relation by a. Shear pin 23b; Whichiis provided to vallow the operating. mechanism togive at this point in the event of jamming. .Ofkniie assembly .2810. and thusavoid damage to more important and expensive parts of themechanism- Theuppenlever segment-226 is formedto follow theraction. of. the plunger mechanism 5%, and lower lever segment 22'Lto follow. the..,cam-; arm portion 22.21pm holder 205 of emovablesblade member .2132. and thus. relate these: elements fOlTi Operationpi-the knifeiassembly 293 in accordance with the cyclic-actuation oil-fastener forming-andxfastener inserting operations as described more in detail below. I

Theimeans indicated generally at set in Figs. 1, 2 and v, for feeding-thewire ens .forfastener forming operations compriseaa .cam elementy lli I mounted for rotation withoperatingshfit- IMand arranged to displace a :plungenmember 402,: ;and thus actuate a feeding strolge; oneach. revolution of shaft-WM The plull -tl zmfimber doztisassociated with a lever bar 463 which transmit .tthe feeding stroke 6 to; means provided; in operating head .2 t9 -for= gripe-mg wire; ,3 I 9 .andadvancing it to knifeassemblyzflfles willbedescribed below.

The lever bar 403 is pivoted on upper frame structure 103 at one end, and is associated with plunger member 402 about midway of its length. Displacement of plunger member 402 by cam element 401 depresses lever bar 403 about its pivot on frame structure 103 so that its other end which extends to operating head 209 shifts to operate the above mentioned means for advancing the wire 319. The lever bar 403 is conditioned for return to its original position after a feeding stroke by a spring assembly 404 mounted on upper frame structure I03.

The means provided in operating head 209 for advancing the wire 319 is shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The wire 319 directed from the supply carried on mounting means 300 is introduced in operating head 200 through a passageway 405 formed for this purpose in a supporting arm 406 extending from operating head 209 to carry straightening rolls 404.

The wire 319 is delivered through the passageway 405 to a fixed block 40! mounted in operating head 209 which carries a spring pressed detent 408 engaging the wire 319 to prevent its withdrawal but allowing it to be advanced. Below the fixed block 401, a second block 409 is arranged which is similar in form and also carries a spring pressed detent 410. This second block 409, however, is movable and is actuated by the above described lever bar 403 to advance the wire 319 to knife assembly 200. The movable block 409 which is represented in Fig. 3 at a position it might assume upon completion of a feeding stroke and will be moved upwardly to a position adjacent the fixed block 401 for beginning a feeding stroke.

In actual operation, the travel of movable block 409 between these two positions establishes the length of the fastener formed by knife assembly 200, and an adjusting mechanism is accordingly provided to vary the travel of movable block 409 in accordance with the length of fastener desired, as illustrated in Figs. 7 to 12, inclusive, of the drawing.

This adjusting mechanism operates by controlling the extent of displacement of plunger member 402 to control the feeding movement of movable block 409. An enlarged detail on the arrangement of plunger member 402 is shown in Fig. 7. A boss 441 is formed on frame structure 103 and is suitably hushed, as represented at 412, to mount plunger member 402 for reciprocation. Downward movement of plunger member 402, as mentioned above, results from displacement by cam element 401, which is transmitted to lever bar 403 on which it rests, and returning upward movement is eifected by the spring assembly 404 associated with lever bar 403.

Displacement of plunger member 402 by cam element 401 is effected through a lever element 413 pivotably connected with the upper end of plunger member 402 and supported on frame structure 103 in relation to cam element 401. This lever element 413 is composed of two plates 414 and 415 between which a roller 416 is mounted i for lever element 413 is adjusted to vary the displacement of roller 416 by camelement 401, the

feeding stroke of-plunger member 402 will be correspondingly varied.

Means for making such an adjustment of the support for lever element 413 is provided by mounting a stud member 418 on frame structure 103 to support the lever element 413 as shown in Figs. '1, 8, and 10. This stud member 418 is formed with a head portion 419 to provide a positioning support for lever element 413. The two plates 414 and 415 of lever element 413 are assembled with a rocker pin 420 (compare Fig. 8) having a flat bottom surface adaptedto ride the head portion 419 of stud member 418. A screw 421 is disposed in the rear plate 415 of lever element 443 to cooperate with a recess 422 formed in rocker pin 420 and limit'its rocking motion, but otherwise rocker pin 420 is free to pivot in lever element 413 and slide on the head portion 419 of stud member 418 during displacement of lever element 413.

The shank 423 of stud member 418 is threaded, and this threaded shank is received by, and extends through, a bushing 424 assembled on frame structure 103 by a nut 425, so that stud member 418 may be adjusted in bushing 424 to vary the supported position of lever element 413 and roller 416 in relation to cam element 401. The bushing 424 also receives a set screw 426, fitted with a convenient manipulating handle 421, for securing the stud member 418 in bushing 424 in adjusted position.

To provide a manipulating handle for stud member 410, a collar element 428 is assembled on the extending end of shank portion 423, as shown best in Figs. 10, 11 land 12. This collar element 429 is formed with a threaded bore 429 adapted to engage the threaded shank 423 of stud member 410. The body of collar element 420 is divided transversely by a slot 430 except for a land portion 431 spaced from the threaded bore 429. Diametrically opposite the land portion 431, and also spaced from the bore 429, the divided portions of collar element 428 are fitted with a screw 432 so that the head of this screw 43?. seats in one portion and its threads engage the other portion (see Fig. 10). Tightening of the screw 432 will accordingly flex the divided portions of collar element 428 about land portion 431 and thereby lock it on the shank 423 so as to serve as a handle for adjusting stud member 410 in bushing 424. As a guide for adjusting the supported position of lever element 413, as described above, a pointer 433 may be mounted on bushing 424 in relation to a scale 434 laid out on the front plate 414 of lever element 413 and graduated in terms of the fastener lengthresulting from the feeding stroke obtained by displacement of lever element 413 at the indicated supported position. v

Following feeding of the wire 319 to knife assembly 200, as just described, the fastener forming and inserting operations are effected in relation to the actuation of the previously mentioned fastener inserting plunger mechanism 500.- This mechanism is actuated by a crank mechanism 501 mounted for rotation with operating shaft 104, as indicated in Fig. 2, and comprises a plunger member 502 arranged for reciprocation in operating head 209. At its lower end this plunger member 502 carries a driver 503 which on each driving stroke penetrates the stationary blade insert 204 and movable blade insert 200 in fastener inserting position to drive the fasteners formed by knife assembly 200.

Plunger member 502 also serves to shift the enemas knife assembly-i290?rnomciesten mins o -fe tener inserting position b Qn'tectirig.v hecamarm portion 2,2;2 on-holdenillfi of movable-blade memberizm' on each driving stroke- To allow shifting of follower assembly .225 as this occurs, plun e m mb r 51 2-. c s -a sho at 0 and; the follower assembly .will'shiit to extend" into 4th 1 recess: 5104 v each driving stroke pf p un -r emb r as t Wm 3 h Q 6 end .of thereeessiifli on the return stroke and as a result-shifted: back toretnrn the movable blade nemloerziBZ-of knife assembly :Zfifivfrom fastener inserting position-to fastenerfrirming position-i -inentioned-abeve,-- the reciprocationof phi ger member Bill-is actuated by the crank mesh nisrn 5B1mountedon'operating shaft 1M, and -pl11ngenmemben 5.112 is assembled at; itsupper end witha cross-head which is slotted and fitted with a top plate 536 to define a trans verseoperatingslot-gi giifor-crank mechanism 59 l. Details or the arrangementof crank-inechanisni. til-t are shown 13---to"17- of the drawing.

Thisecran l: mechanism 591lcomprises a body member 553,5 fixeduon operating shaft Hi t for rotation in accordance with the cyclic actuation of fastener-forming and fastener inserting operations i i-crank pin-56a is carried by body: mem- 5&8 ii -spacedparalielrelation with respect. ta shaftiii i ank'pinifl is positioned-in body member 568 by a washer 5H3 secured at one of its endslay-ca screw fifl to act as a retaining shoulder, andap enlarged circular flange per-- tisn iiiE.lfoi'med integ1%a11y with, or otherwise attached to, crank pin Mia about midway .of its length. en m es-flan e QOI-tion 5 :2, crank pin 509 extends frornabodymemher 595', as shown at sta 'and i fitted With'ia slide block 5%, held in place by awasher 515' andvcotterpin 5 itas shown, for operation inthetransverse slot 553"! provided in crosshead elfi." Rotation oft-body member 5&8 with operation shaft 19.41 is accordingly ptrans lated by this arrangement into reciprocation of the fastener inserting-plunger member 502.

The operation of. plunger member 552 to drive the. fasteners formed hyikniie assembly 200 has. been described above, and it will be noted that, the length of the reciprocating stroke of plunger member 5iiTWil1l determine the depthto which the fasteners are driven-in Work positioned-in the machine. That is, a longer stroke wouldberequired to countersink the fasteners than just to"drivfe them flesh, and different. lengths of stroke would be required for different degrees of countersinki'ng.

In order to render/crank mechanism it! ad justable so that a length of stroke corresponding to a desirededrivingidepth inay be selected,-theextending end 5Y3 of crank'pin 5639 is formed en centrically so that by rotating, fora-11k pin 5019411 body member 508 the throw. of crank mechanism 50!. may be varied. The above mentioned flange portion .5 i2 cafxzranls pin 5liEl is provided for make ing tins-adjustment. and adjusted positions-of:

crank pinufiQ are fixeclbyan annular series of' apertures ti-i foitmed. in: flange portion --5l-2l-. Crank pin films-locked at a given adjusted posie month-rou h engagementoi. the corresponding aperture-=51}, by=a locking pin M8- mcunted in body member 508 The locking pin-5i8isio1=med with a shoulder 5 It, and isv-received-loy a bore 520 which is coupe" terbored touallow association ofa spring 52-I-withlooking pin 5 I 8} "for: disposition between the shcu der 5 is and thelec in oi he-count lb r i work in the machine;

ingoperations.

3?- so-as normallylto ur pintfilfi into locking en gagement with vpneofthe apertures 5!! formed inflange pcrtion 5!;2'." Toprovide" for Withdraw ing ioclging pin 51. 3 during. adjustment of crank pin stator driving depth, an L.-shaped slot 522 is formed in body' member 5% and a pin 5231s fitted inlockingpin- 5&8 through this slot 522. Accordingly by moving the pin52'f3i down'the leg of the Lshaped slot 522 locking pin-Bit may Jbe withdrawn into the-body member Elliiagains't the force of spring tit, and by shiftin pin'iiZS into the foot of L-shaped slot 522 the locking pin 5 i 3 may be retained in this position and thus allow free manipulation of flange portion 5E2 to adjust crank'pin EH39.

Ad-jiistment of .crank'pin may be gauged bytthe relation of an index peg .5241, extending from body-member 59 8, to index numerals 525" scribed-adjacent the. periphery of flange per-- tion 512' to indicate the relative driving depths established by. the seriesof aperatures 53?. Upon selection-of the desired new adjustment forcranl; pin 5G9, pin 523 may lee-shifted from thefoot of 'L-shaped slot 522 to release locking pin i3 iiifor return to locking engagement with the corresponding aperture ti '1'] The fastener formingand inserting machinery of 'tiie present invention further comprises a .v'orksupporting mechanism Gilt for positioning While a Work'supporting mechanism for a machine of 'this sortshould allow Work to be positionedreadilyin the machine, it must alsobe arranged to prevent shiftinguef the Work during .fastener insert- Such shifting of the Work is commonlyavoided-hy providing means for moving the werl-z' support in Work supporting dimotion during the fastener inserting operation sesthat it is gripped between the Work support and the operating head-of the machine as thefastenersare inserted: The Work supeporting mechanism GM of the present invention is arranged for ctuation in this manner from. a second cam element iiiitnqounted-to rotate With-operating shaft I84: Theaction of this The Worst supporting -mechanisrn illustratedgen'eraliji at tilt iii-Figs. 1 and 2, is shownmore iii-detail in Figs- 18 and 19. The Work support prODt-rcomprises a table plate H32 secured centrally-J- on a supporting -me-mloer 6S3 fittedwith a shank ted, which is sliding-lyreceived in a bushing 5&5 carried by arr-arm structuretilt, and-.-;a-radiaily spaced-positioning dowel 66?, which is slidingly received in an aperature 668- formed in arm structure tileand serves to prevent 'rotative shifting oftable plate fiit2- .aloout shank 8M Thearmstructure fiilt-isassembkd ona verti vi lcdehysa rack ttt dispos d n the vertical guide column tee and a pinion El -2 disposed'for rotation on the arm structure fills-inengagement with rack 61!. The pinion BIZ is rotated by a crank member 613 to raise and lowerthe arm structure 606 on vertical guide column 609 for vertical adjustment of the work supporting mechanism 600.

In order to counteract the weight of work supporting mechanism 666 during downward adjustment, a cylindrical body member 6I4 is arranged for rotation with pinion M2 on arm structure 606. This cylindrical body member H4 is formed with a longitudinal surface slot 6I5 having a gradually inclined wall oriented in trailing position with respect to rotation of the cylindrical body 6M and pinion 6I2 corresponding to lowering of the arm structure 606. A roller member M6 is seated in the slot H5, and an annulus 6!! is fitted overthe cylindrical body BM in sliding contact therewith and covering the slot [H5 and roller member MB. A brake band GIS is disposed circumferentially over the annulus 6!! from a stud member 6l9 carried on arm structure 606 and fitted with a spring 620 arranged between a sliding flange member 62! and washer 622 for clamping adjustment by a nut 623 to tighten brake band 6! 8 suitably for braking rotation of the annulus 6".

As a result of this arrangement, during rotation of pinion BIZ, and consequently of the cylindrical body member M4, for lowering the work supporting mechanism 600, braking of annulus 6!! by brake band 6I6 causes roller member 6|6 to wedge between the annulus 6 I! and cylindrical body 6 I4 and thus counteract the weight of work support mechanism 660. When work support mechanism 666 is raised, however, the roller member 6! 6 is shifted to the deep portion of slot 6I5 so that annulus 6!! and cylindrical body 6! operate freely in sliding contact even though annulus 6!! is braked.

Means for locking the arm structure 606 in adjusted position on vertical column guide 606 is provided by correlated rack segments 624 associated with the arm structure 606. These rack segments 624 are formed with staggered pitches in relation to the rack 6!! to provide for engagement in closer correspondence with the adjusted position selected for arm structure 666, and are pivotably mounted for engagement with the rack 6!! at the ends of a lever 625 which is in turn pivotably connected at its longitudinal center with arm 626 extending from an eccentric 62'! mounted in arm structure 606 and operated by a crank member 628. Crank member 628 may accordingl be manipulated to withdraw the rack segments 624 from rack 6!! to allow vertical adjustment of work supporting mechanism 600. When crank member 628 is returned to its looking position after the vertical adjustment is made, eccentric 62'! will shift arm 262 so that both of the rack segments 624 on lever 625 will be moved into contact with rack 6! I. As the rack segments 624 are formed with staggered pitches, however, they can only be engaged selectively with rack 6! I. The pivoted arrangement of lever 625 allows such selective manipulation of the rack segments 624 so that the mating segment at the adjusted position of arm structure 606 will engage rack 6!! to lock the work supporting mechanism in place.

The arm structure 666 also carries a lever structure for shifting the work support in work supporting direction during fastener inserting operations as previously mentioned. This lever structure comprises an arm 626 extending from a pivot shaft 666 iournaled in arm structure 606.

The arm 62!! extends to contact the bottom end of the shank 604 associated with the support 603 for table plate 602 so that it may be actuated to raise shank 604 vertically in the bushing 605 and thus, shift table plate 602, and any work. supported thereon, in work supporting direction. A second arm 63! extends rearwardly from the pivot shaft 630 for association with an operating rod 632 which is actuated from the previously mentioned cam element 60! mounted on operating shaft I04, as illustrated in Figs. 20 to 24 of the drawing.

Actuation of operating rod 632 by cam element 60! is effected through a lever element 633 generally similar. to' the previously described lever element 4I3 arranged for actuation of the wire feed mechanism400 from cam element 40!. The lever element 633 is pivotably supported as at 634 by a hangar block 635 mounted on upper frame structure I03, and comprises two plates 636 and 63'! spaced to support a roller 636 in position to follow cam 60! and assembled with a block 639 riding the upper end of operating rod 632. Rotation of cam element 60! with operating shaft I04 will accordingly displace roller 636 to pivot lever element 633 on hangar 635 and depress operating rod 632.

The operating rod 632 is slidingly guided in a sleeve 64!] mounted on frame structure I63 as shown in Figs. 20 and 21. Just below sleeve 640 a collar member 64!, having a flat surface 642 in sliding contact with frame structure !03 to prevent turning, is secured on operating rod 632 by a set screw 643 from which a spring 644 is extended to a point, of attachment (not shown) on frame structure I03 to return operating rod 632 after actuation by cam element 60!.

Association of the operating rod 632 with the rearwardly extending arm 63! of the lever structure carriedon supporting arm 606is eifected by abushing block 645 fitted on operating rod 632 and formed with a pin portion 646 adapted for assembly as a pivot with arm 63! by a washer 641 and cotter pin 648 (see Figs. 22 and 24). Downward motion of operating rod 632 upon actuation by cam element 60! is transmitted to arm 63! for shifting the work support in work supporting direction by a spring 649 disposed on operating rod 632 between the bushing block 645 and a clamp mechanism 650.

The clamp mechanism 650 comprises a front clamp bar 65! and a rear clamp bar 652 which are pivotably joined by a connecting link 653, each of the clamp bars 65! and 652 being recessed about midway of their length to fit the op-- erating rod 632 as shown in Fig. 23. The rear clamp bar 652 is formed with a threaded bore 654 to receive a screw 655 extended through the front clamp bar 66!, and the head 656 of which bears on a washer 65'! to draw the clamp bars 66-1 and 652 together in clamping engagement with operating rod 632. The head 656 of screw 655 is formed with a handle bar 658 so that sufficient purchase may be obtained on screw 655 to secure effective clamping engagement with operating rod 632, and a guide key 656 is fitted over screw 655 between clamp bars 65! and 652 to ride in a slot 660 in operating rod 632 to prevent clamp mechanism 650 from turning on operating rod 632. Clamp mechanism 650 may thus be readily manipulated for adiusting the association of operating rod 632 with arm 63! in correspondence with any desired vertical adjustment of the work supporting mechanism 600.

As noted above, the fastener forming and in- 

